Table of Contents
Acronyms Preface
1.
Introduction
2.
Overview of the Watershed
2.1 Boundaries of the Yuna Watershed and Tributaries 2.2 Gauging Stations and River Flow Patterns
3. Overview of the Estuary of Samana Bay
3.1 Physical and Ecological Features 3.2 Freshwater Flow and the Ecology of the Samana Estuary
4. Water Dependent Sectors and Resource Use in the Watershed
4.1 Agriculture 4.2 Mining
4.3 Tourism in Samana Bay 4.4 Fisheries
5. The System of Dams, Reservoirs, Irrigation, and Hydropower
6. Threats to the Quantity, Timing and Quality of Freshwater Inflows and Estuary Health
6.1 Conceptual Model Overview 6.2 Water Contamination from Rice Cultivation and Other Sources
6.3 Assessment of the Impact of Dams on the Yuna River Flow Regime 6.4 Proposed Construction of Dam at Piedra Gorda, Bonao
6.5 Deforestation and Sedimentation 6.6 Overfishing
6.7 Aquaculture 6.8 Other Threats
7. Governance
7.1 Watershed Governance 7.2 Coastal and Marine Governance of Samana Bay
8. Conclusions
Appendices Appendix 1: Water Budget of the Yuna River Watershed
Appendix 2: Yuna River Hydrologic Characterization separate file
2
Figures
separate files Figure 1: Boundary of the Yuna watershed and location of gauging stations
Figure 2: Land cover and land use in the Yuna watershed Figure 3: Model of freshwater flows and ecology of Samana estuary
Figure 4: Land cover and land use in Samana Bay and the surrounding area Figure 5: Ecological model of the mangrove community in Samana estuary
Figure 6. Conceptual model of sources of anthropogenic stress and estuarine ecological response Figure 7. Priority threats to Samana Bay and principal ecological impacts
References List of Meetings and Contact Information
3
Acronyms
CANARI Instituto Caribeño
de Recursos Naturales Caribbean Natural Resources Institute
CAD Consorcio Ambiental Dominicano
Dominican Environmental Consortium CDE Corporación
Dominicana de
Electricidad Dominican Electric Corporation
CEBSE Centro para la Conservación y Ecodesarollo de la Bahía de Samaná y su
Entorno Center for the Conservation and Eco-Development of Samana Bay and its
Surroundings
CMC Center for Marine Conservation, United States
HELVETAS Swiss Association for International Cooperation
INDRHI Instituto Nacional de Recursos Hidráulicos
National Institute of Hydrological Resources INAPA
Instituto Nacional de Aqua Potable y Abastecimiento National Institute for Potable Water and Sewage Systems
ONAPLAN Oficina Nacional de Planificación
National Planning Office Pronatura
Fondo Pro Naturaleza Fund for Nature
SEMARN Secretaría de Estadao del Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales
Secretary of the Environment and Natural Resources
4
Preface
This profile is being developed as the first product of a pilot project sponsored by USAID and executed by a partnership of the Coastal Resources Center of the University of Rhode Island
and The Nature Conservancy in the Dominican Republic and the United States. The goal of the project is to develop and apply methods for assessing the impacts of changes in fresh water
inflows on estuaries and to work with governmental and non-governmental stakeholders to formulate action strategies to address the consequences of such changes. The project began at the
end of 2003 and will continue through 2005. The methods and lessons learned from the pilot project are intended to provide guidance to similar analyses and planning of other watersheds and
estuaries around the world. This profile will be continually updated throughout the course of this project. The
process to develop the profile thus far has involved a desk review of existing literature, a reconnaissance trip to meet with local experts, stakeholders, and key institutions, and three types
of rapid science analyses. The comprehensive review and synthesis of existing literature and the preparation of this profile, including the integration of information from meetings and scientific
analyses was led by James Tobey of the Coastal Resources Center. The reconnaissance trip in April was coordinated by Jeannette Mateo and the TNC office in Santo Domingo. James Tobey,
Chuck DeCurtis Director of Aquatic Conservation, TNC, Harrisburg, PA, and Antonio Ortiz National Institute of Hydrological Resources, Santo Domingo, participated in the
reconnaissance trip in April 2004 that included meetings in Santo Domingo and visits to key points along the Yuna River system and Samana Bay.
The first science analysis involved a brief characterization of the natural patterns of river flows into Samana Bay and assessment of whether or not those patterns have been substantially
altered during the past four decades. This was conducted by Andy Warner Senior Advisor for Water Management, TNC, University Park, PA. The second was an analysis of the water budget
for the estuary, quantifying all inflows and outflows of water on an average annual basis. This 5
was supervised by the TNC office in Santo Domingo and conducted by Antonio Ortiz and Jesús Medina. This work involved field data collection. The third science analysis involved the
preparation of conceptual models of the ecology of Samana Bay and digital maps of land cover and land use in the watershed and Samana Bay region. This was lead by Chuck DeCurtis,
Director of Aquatic Conservation, TNC, Harrisburg, PA. We wish to extend our appreciation to all those on the extended project team who offered
their invaluable insights and guidance to this work, especially Stephen Olsen, Director of the Coastal Resources Center; Pam Rubinoff, Program Manager, the Coastal Resources Center;
Lynne Hale, Director of Marine Initiatives, TNC; Francisco Nuñez, Freshwater Team Leader, TNC, Santo Domingo; Brian Richter, Director of Sustainable Waters Program, TNC; and,
Richard Volk, USAID, Washington. We also thank all the individuals in the Dominican Republic that we have met with for their time and insights and to the TNC Ecoregion Program for their
cooperation and help in locating maps.
6
Profile of the Yuna River Watershed and Samana Bay Dominican Republic
1. Introduction
